Richard Estes: Urban Landscapes
Academy Art Museum, Through August 3rd, academyartmuseum.org
Featuring 25 works by the preeminent photorealist painter and printmaker Richard Estes, this exhibition showcases the artist’s ongoing fascination with the reflective surfaces of the modern city. Ranging from the 1980s to the early-21st century and rendered with astounding technical skill, Estes’ detailed views of New York City and other sites are worlds away from the Eastern Shore. Hovering between the recent past and the present—some signage and buildings remain, others have been demolished or replaced—the images will transport viewers to other places and moments in time. Estes’ urban subject matter and use of photography provide a counterpoint to traditional notions of landscape art, inspiring more capacious frameworks for seeing and understanding the world around us.
It’s All About Color!
Troika Gallery, Easton, Through July 31st, troikagallery.com
Louis Escobedo’s “It’s All About Color” opens June 6th, during First Friday at Troika Gallery in Easton. An award-winning Master Signature artist from The National Oil Painters of America, Escobedo intermingles abstract shapes and color to energize his subjects which include landscapes, still life, and figures. “Color is a person’s signature, a personal form of expression and another sense an artist can use to communicate,” he says. Presenting “The Finest of Fine Art” since 1997, Troika Gallery is the longest operating gallery on the Eastern Shore. Whether you are an art collector, art lover, or an art browser, you will enjoy your visit to Troika Gallery as the friendly ambiance has cultivated loyal followers.
Annapolis Watercolor Club’s Golden Anniversary Exhibit
Quiet Waters Park, Annapolis, Through July 6th, annapoliswatercolorclub.org
2025 marks the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Annapolis Watercolor Club. The Golden Anniversary Exhibit will be the highlight of a series of exhibits in celebration of the anniversary. All paintings will have gold incorporated in them, whether it be metallic, metallic leaf, or other golden touches. AWC was founded by a small group of artists, including Joanne Scott, a co-founder of Maryland Hall. It has since become a nonprofit educational organization with over 200 members who aim to encourage the art of watercolor painting through education of artists of all ages.
r. aster syrell: Approaching the Garden
Elizabeth Myers Mitchell Art Museum at St. John’s College, Annapolis, Through July 13th, sjc.edu
In the 18th century, British plein-air painters used a pocket-sized device called the “Claude glass” (or “black mirror”) when translating a three-dimensional landscape to the two-dimensional canvas surface. They would turn their backs to the scene and paint what they saw in the mirror. For this exhibition, r. aster syrell will use the gallery’s massive corner windows as Claude glasses and over the course of two months paint their changing reflections. Note that the artist will not be painting during open hours. r. aster syrell teaches at St. John’s University in New York and Anne Arundel Community College in Maryland. This exhibition is presented on the occasion of Arundel County Arts Month, Paint Annapolis, and Pride Month.
